Ali Manno has a simple explanation for years of avoiding shorts: she was buying the wrong ones.
The fashion and lifestyle influencer shared a guide to three pairs on Instagram this week, all priced under $35. In her caption, Ali was candid: “I used to think I hated wearing shorts but later realized I just wasn’t buying the right ones. These are 3 pairs of shorts under $35 that you’ll LOVE!”
That kind of personal reframe is the heart of the post. She’s not claiming she always knew what worked. She’s sharing a correction – and that honesty tends to connect.
A lot of people have quietly given up on a style category for the same reason. The doubt tends to linger. Seeing someone else work through the same realization – and come out the other side with actual recommendations – makes the category feel more approachable.
Shorts are legitimately difficult to shop for. Rise, inseam length, and fabric each play a bigger role than most people expect. The wrong details can make an otherwise flattering pair feel completely off.
One frustrating shopping trip can be enough to make someone swear off the category for years. That seems to be what happened here. Ali eventually found styles she liked, and now she’s passing the lesson along.
All three pairs land under $35. That keeps the stakes low for anyone curious enough to try. She’s also covering her full outfit in the post, not just the bottoms.
Anyone interested in the complete look can shop it all at once. It’s a helpful detail for people who want to see how the shorts actually look as part of a finished outfit.
Getting the links works through a comment mechanic. This format has become common among lifestyle creators on Instagram. Followers need to comment “SHORTS” on the post.
Ali will then send a direct message with links to all three pairs plus everything else she’s wearing. There’s one requirement: you need to be following her account first. Instagram’s messaging rules block creators from sending DMs to non-followers, so Ali flagged the step upfront to save anyone a wait.
The comment-to-DM format has become a practical workaround for creators sharing affiliate links. It keeps the links out of the public caption and delivers them directly to people who ask. Followers still get easy access, just through a quick back-and-forth rather than a clickable link in the post itself.
Ali’s argument for shorts skeptics is pretty straightforward: the style probably isn’t the problem. The right cut might just not have come along yet. At under $35 a pair, it’s worth finding out.
